Crafts from a beginner!

I have this dream of running away and becoming a nun that sings on the mountain tops, or teaching trouble kids to sing in a choir.

Well really I just want to be involved in “ministry.” I’ve always had a mindset that I want it to be my full time job and that it wouldn’t fully be in ministry unless that happened. I know that’s not a true statement though. I realized and know that I’m called to ministry everyday and all day. I’m not very good at it, I really don’t have the best of attitudes. I know that when I use my talents God will make them beautiful for him and the real message will come through.

So weather you are not going to a church or involved in a religious organization this is something everyone can be apart of. I am making pillow case dresses for girls in Cambodia. My good friends Matthew and Melissa Stock are actively in missions over there. This idea is nothing new, you may have heard of Dresses for Africa or other organizations. All you do is sew dresses and send them over seas to kids in need of clothes. If you don’t know how to sew you can donate as well.

I followed the instructions from Sew Like My Mom. Very easy and she also has great links for other dress organizations. I love sewing and I’ve been really busy at work and haven’t had much time to get back into the groove of it. This was a great project to get started again but also fun.

So if something is calling you, do it. There may be other paths to accomplish your goals then what you originally envisioned. Mine is just getting involved now, don’t wait for others to try and help but just go for it. Sewing is an very expressive way for me to share with others. I hope the girls who wear theses dresses love them and know that they are from a God who loves them very much. If that can come across I don’t need to sing on a mountain top.

Sewing has taught me to be patient and to know its okay to mess up and mess up often. I love being creative and exploring different ways for an outlet. I recently bought a Diana F+ mini. I’ve completed one whole roll of of film and I messed up! I knew I might mess up before I even started but I wanted to try to all of the options for a 35 mm. I learned a lot with my first roll and I’m excited to see my second. Below are effects that I tried out.

With the Diana F+ mini you can choose from two frame formats. The half frame 17x24mm and the square frame 24x24mm. The first roll was shot in the half frame. This will come out as one whole frame split once it’s developed.

Long Exposures didn’t work out for me this time. This is keeping your shutter open for a certain amount of time to let light in over a period of time. I need a tripod or a flat surface to test this out. Also I accidentally kept it open after for about the last 6 frames. I got a bunch of white pictures at the end.

I got one Multiple Exposures. This really didn’t work for me on any other picture because when I tried it my shutter was open from the long exposure. This was a fun effect to even test. I was able to take multiple shots in one frame. Click without winding.

Overlapping Exposures will be interesting to see on the full frame the 24x24mm. This is similar to multiple exposures. You click and wind a little and then click again while on the same frame. See my cute niece Cora below.

So go be creative and share. What is your creative outlet, comment and below about what makes you de-stress. Go mess up but learn from it and get better with each time you try.

Well it’s been a busy Fall and Winter. I had a friend who just encouraged me to get back on to my blog. I’ve recently bought a lot of sewing books and I wanted to share them. They are awesome and I thought others would like to enjoy them too.

Two magazines that I buy every time I’m in a craft store are from Stampington & Company. Apron*ology and Haute Handbags are my favorite. I just bought the new Apron*ology today and I love it! If you like aprons for fashion, go get it! I secretly want to be a 50’s house wife, always look put together and in a fashionable dinner outfit. I would also be a women suffragette. I know different decade but I love romanticizing it all…while wear an apron.

Anyway to the books I’ve grown to love.

123 Sew This has lots of different projects but they also grow in the skills you need with each project. I’ve sewed all the bags, the pin tuck clutch, pleated purse, and pleated messenger bag.

Sew Liberated . I’ve not sewed anything from this one yet. I got this book because I thought it would get me thinking more outside the box in a different way. I always take my own approach about sewing and crafts that I do. This book I thought could take me a bit past that.

The Bag Making Bible. I would say that it is a great how to on everything from: binding, lining, zippers, pockets, and more. Great book. I made the reversible bucket bag today. I made my biding out of a bandana. I’ll get pictures up soon.

I love reading sewing books and craft books more then anything. I really just like looking at pictures and these magazines and books make me want to read more about the pictures. Sewing and crafts are one of my de-stressers and I love it. Please comment and share any books or blogs that have gave you great ideas or just because you love it.

We went to Mckenzie River Lavender Farm to join in the lavender festival. This was a small farm but great to visit. We were there longer then expected because I locked my keys in the car and my sister had to come save us. After that ordeal was done we drove up to Sister, OR for the quilt show. My mom and I packed a lunch and ready to see the sites. Half way to Sisters we made a pit stop for lava rocks for my mom and then back on the Road.

We made it to sister and had a wonderful picnic.

Portable Picnic blanket, will be more on Etsy next Spring.

There were so many quilts I didn’t know where to start. They are all beautiful and so many different styles and colors. There was one quilt that had a great story with it; a women stitched this quilt by hand and it took her two years, she was battling cancer and wanted to finish before she couldn’t. Check out my Facebook to view all the pictures.

We walked around for about an hour and the thunder and lighting started up and quilts came down. I was bummed I wasn’t able to see more but it was a great day still! I really had a wonderful time with my mom.

I love making bags; it is one of my favourite things to sew. I like using cute and different purses all the time; I also like bigger purses that aren’t heavy and I can accomplish that with cotton or other light weight material.

My best friend Sam wanted a bag from me and she needed something for when she rides her bike. We looked through a lot of different patterns and found a pretty simple messenger bag that meets her needs.

This awesome patter is in the Bags- the Modern Classics. I love this book and should have purchased it sooner, if you like to sew bags or are just starting out this is a great book. There are very helpful tips for pattern making and how to place your buttons, and cute, etc… Check it out.

Lining

Sam picked out a pattern and I knocked it out the next day. I always like to have muslin on hand; I often use it for lining of bags, patterns, and making test items first. I used my muslin for the lining on the messenger bag and created a pocket with the exterior fabric. Bags- the Modern Classics doesn’t have a full cut out pattern but the measurements and the corner pattern. A messenger bag is pretty simple because it is just a big square and the material scrap from your handles is the flap for your bag.

In Progress

This was a new way to make handles; the instruction has you sew your interior together and then your exterior pieces together. A picture would be great for this, but I failed. Next you sew right sides together of the exterior and interior except for about 3-5 inches at the top on the handles/strap leaving that free. Remove pins and inside out, this is where the magic happens, my sisters always ask me, “how will my strap turn out, will it be a knot or tied strap?” At this time you then take your free exterior strap pieces and sew the end raw edges right sides together and repeat for the interior. I hope that makes sense, check the book out. From there you can iron your unsewn strap to match the rest of your handles and top stitch the rest of your bag, strap is now completely sew and your bag is done!

Done for Sam

I love making things for my family and friends. I get excited that I get better with each project and my skills keep growing.